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Old September 14, 2012   #31
halleone
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Walla Walla, Washington
Posts: 360
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bbjm View Post
Saltmarsh. I'm very interested in your setup.

how did you form those rows so neatly?

I'm reluctant to invest in the cost and permanency of lumber and building materials when I'm not sure how I will ultimately want to arrange the garden. in an earlier life I had a 4x8 bed (made out of two 12' 2X6s. Worked well, but seemed too wide for caring for the plants toward the middle. At the same time it seemed too crowded for 2 rows of indeterminate tomatoes. I'm thinking I want 3' rows with one tomato row rather than two. But that would take a lot more lumber to get the same number of tomato plants. Earth formed rows seems ideal.

I'm also curious to know what happens to your earth formed rows after a very heavy rain?

It seems we largely have drought then floods around here anymore.

Bret
If I might tell you about my earthberm beds? We built our house 10 years ago, and started the garden from scratch on heavy, heavy clay. With no close/good source for 2' x 12' cedar lumber (which is what my husband built prior raised beds out of and wasn't going to use anything else), I decided to try berms.

Purchased compost was brought in, tilled under, and the berms were formed, using a tape measure, stakes, and a string, easy enough to do. It has worked out fine for me, but we have a lot of wind here and the berms keep getting lower and lower each year, even with me incorporating organics each year, and trying to keep mulch in place throughout most of the year.

I eventually added concrete patio blocks up the middle path (there are four banks of beds, five beds to the bank). As I am now 10 years older and it is getting harder for me to hand dig it twice a year, I am now slowly adding the block pathways around each bed. I'll start using as much mulch as possible and hope eventually to not have to dig much at all.

I have found it easier to dig up the berms each year than the old raised wooden beds; hopefully the new pathways and letting the berms drop lower won't be an issue.

Lynn
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Good Mother Stallard July 2012 019.jpg (751.9 KB, 27 views)
File Type: jpg Sunburst Patty Pan July 2012 025.jpg (753.0 KB, 27 views)
File Type: jpg Numex July 2012 029.jpg (773.3 KB, 26 views)
File Type: jpg Melrose July 2012 045.jpg (804.6 KB, 27 views)
File Type: jpg New pathways 001.jpg (537.6 KB, 28 views)
File Type: jpg New pathways 002.jpg (607.5 KB, 29 views)

Last edited by halleone; September 14, 2012 at 11:32 AM. Reason: my oops on cedar size
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Old September 14, 2012   #32
bbjm
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Kansas
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Lynne, Thank you for sharing the information about your garden -- and the pictures. Your plants look great. You certainly know what you're doing.
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